Constantin Cuiumju
“Today, NARE raised the gas rate. NARE Director General Mr. Taran recently stated that there is no way to lower the price. I’m telling you that there is a way,” Cuiumju said.
According to the lawmaker, the rate is calculated based on an exchange rate of 20.30 lei per euro, whereas the NBM’s official exchange rate over the past six months has been around 19.81 lei. (As of today—19.9863—Ed.) With a contracted gas volume of 900 million cubic meters, the exchange rate difference, Cuiumju asserts, translates to approximately 260 million lei in additional costs for consumers.
“Mr. Taran, I’m simply asking: why are we calculating the tariff based on an exchange rate that no longer has any bearing on market realities?” the deputy asked the NARE leadership.
Cuiumju also stated that there are opportunities to cut costs within the “Moldovagaz” Supervisory Board. He drew attention to the millions paid to its members, specifically to State Secretaries Carolina Novak and Vitalie Miciu.
“In one of your publications, you say that nothing can be done about these payments. I’m telling you that something can be done. As a result, nothing has changed; the payments continue at the same level, even though proposals to both reduce and cancel them were on the table,” Cuiumju noted.
The lawmaker called on NARE and the Ministry of Energy to take into account the situation of citizens paying their gas bills.
“When you calculate this rate, I just want you to think for a moment about the people who are counting their money today to pay their gas bills. Not about formulas or explanations that nothing can be done. You always find excuses for salaries in the millions, but you tell people there’s nothing left to cut. You receive these people’s money to protect them. Not to justify unreasonable expenses and huge salaries,” emphasized Constantin Cuiumju.
On August 21, the National Energy Regulatory Authority (NARE) approved new gas rates, which are 41% higher than the previous ones. Thus, ahead of the heating season, consumers will pay 20 lei and 30 bani per cubic meter. Until now, the rate had been 14 lei and 42 bani.
